Soon after a pig now named Thomas was born on a farm in Canada, he lost his family — one by one his siblings were sold to slaughter.

But it wasn't even worth it to the farmer to sell little Thomas, who was the runt of the litter, so the farmer gave Thomas away to some teenagers who planned to roast him. But by a stroke of luck, that isn't what happened at all.

Just recently, Thomas slipped in the mud and twisted his ankle, so he went to rest in the corner of the barn.

Soon after, his friends rushed to his side, knowing something was wrong. And Carla Reilly Moore, cofounder of the sanctuary in Kingston, Ontario, snapped photos of the moment Thomas' friends showed their concern.

Thomas was surrounded by his concerned friends after he hurt his foot in the mud. |
Happy Tails Farm Sanctuary

"I wanted to show you something that is amazing about pigs," Moore wrote. "Pigs are herd animals, and much like humans, care about their families. When one of the family members are hurt or sick, the other members of the family gather around to ensure they're OK and safe. This is just one of the many things I love about pigs!"

Thomas' friends curled up next to him on the hay and kept him company while he rested. "It is so important for these pigs to stay within their herds," Moore told The Dodo. "They get highly stressed and depressed when herd members pass away or leave."